Coeliac disease
Awareness Week 2015
Ruth Passmore, Health Policy Officer, Coeliac UK
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease associated with chronic inflammation of the small intestine which can lead to malabsorption and nutritional deficiencies. In people with coeliac disease, gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, elicits an abnormal immune response. The only treatment for coeliac disease is lifelong adherence to the gluten-free diet and undiagnosed coeliac disease can result in long-term complications including osteoporosis, unfavourable pregnancy outcomes and a small increased risk of intestinal malignancy. Prevalence
One in 100 people in the UK are estimated to have coeliac disease (1); however, the latest statistics show that only 24 percent of those with the condition are diagnosed (2). Rates of diagnosis are also known to vary by socio-economic status, with children living in more socio-economically deprived areas in the UK less likely to be diagnosed with coeliac disease (3). With only 24 percent of people with coeliac disease currently diagnosed, there are around half a million people in the UK who are living with undiagnosed coeliac disease. This year, Coeliac UK’s awareness week will take place on 11th to 17th May and will focus on reaching the people currently living with undiagnosed coeliac disease in the UK. Symptoms
Coeliac disease affects different people in different ways. Signs of coeliac disease can affect any part of the body and are not always limited to gastrointestinal symptoms. Symptoms range from mild to severe and can include the following:
• Frequent diarrhea • Anaemia • Fatigue • Nausea • Vomiting • Bloating • Constipation • Weight loss • Mouth ulcers • Gas • Cramping • Abdominal pain Coeliac disease can present at any age but is most commonly diagnosed in people aged 50 to 69 years (2). From initial onset of symptoms, it can take several years for a patient to have a confirmed diagnosis with coeliac disease and research has shown that, on average, it takes 13 years from the initial symptoms to diagnosis (4). Awareness Week 2015 aims to create a stronger link between these symptoms and coeliac disease and to encourage people who are experiencing these symptoms to seek a diagnosis. Some gastrointestinal symptoms of coeliac disease are similar to the signs of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and misdiagnosis of IBS in coeliac disease is common. Research shows that one in four people diagnosed with coeliac disease have previously been treated for IBS (5). Because of this, the NICE guideline for Diagnosis and Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Primary Care (2015) (6) recommends that coeliac disease is ruled out before diagnosing IBS. NHDmag.com May 2015 - Issue 104
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